Proposals for the idea competition concerning the buildings in the Lapinlahti hospital area have been received

An idea competition for the Lapinlahti hospital area has been organised to find a new purpose of use and owner for the buildings in the area. The deadline for the proposals was 31 May 2019. Altogether, four proposals had been received by the deadline.

The competition consists of two stages. Over the summer, an assessment panel shall select three proposals to advance to the second phase of the competition. In addition to selling the property, proposals based on the option of renting the premises are also included in the competition.

“The assessment panel will begin its work before Midsummer, and we hope to be able to decide on the proposals that will advance to the second phase by early autumn. We will review all proposals and assess them based on the criteria specified in the competition programme. The final decision on the winner is made by the City Council. I hope that the assessment panel conducts a lively and open discussion to find the best solution,” says Head of Department Mikko Aho, who is in charge of the assessment panel.

The second phase of the competition is estimated to start in the autumn of 2019. Residents of Helsinki will have the chance to provide feedback on the proposals that advance to the second phase in the Kerrokantasi online service, once the finalists have been selected.

The goal is to have the proposals ready for the City Council to make its decision in 2020. After this, the process of possibly updating the city plan is set to start based on the winning proposal. The repair and construction work on the real estate is estimated to start in 2021.

Lapinlahti Hospital, completed in 1841, is the oldest psychiatric hospital in Finland. Both the main building designed by C. L. Engel and the surrounding park are protected. The park will remain in the ownership of the City and it will be kept as a public area.

In 2015, the City rented Lapinlahti Hospital temporarily to the Lapinlahden tilajakamo co-operative and the Finnish Association for Mental Health, which is the background organisation of Lapinlahden Lähde, a non-profit organisation. The Lapinlahden tilajakamo co-operative and Lapinlahden Lähde will continue their operations in the hospital premises as tenants of the City until a new owner has been found.